Monday, April 30, 2007

Turning Corners

Saturday, April 28
7:38am
14.2 miles
2:04.27

With a day under 4 weeks until the race, my marathon training is hitting another gear, and I'm feeling good about it. I did my third long run on Saturday, and felt significantly better than I did during the 13 miler last week. It felt like my body took note of the increased mileage and responded. For the first time, I could see myself actually getting into longer distance runs. They are much more of a journey and opportunity for observation (internal and external) than the shorter jaunts.

I'm sure the location of this run also helped my overall performance. We made a 36 hour stop in Hingham for a wedding, and the change of scenery invigorated me. I cruised through old friends' neighborhoods, ran the path I used to walk to elementary school, even ran miles 9-14 with an old friend, who's house I incorporated into the loop.

Now that I'm back in VT, it's all about the schedule again. I have 5, 10 and 5 milers to do this week, and a big 20 miler on Saturday. I've (finally) bought into the program, which takes my lack of motivation or laziness out of the running equation. If it's on the chart, I have to run. I'm actually going out today to get ahead a bit in case the week gets hectic.

Now if I only had this focus for my work....

2 comments:

Agricola said...

Good for you on the 14.2.

There is nothing better than the change of scenery to invigorate the running -- as I found last week in Chicago.

I'm also down with the longer running. I'm so disappointed in myself that I let my marathon training go to naught in the ensuing two years . . . longer runs are wonderful and the more you do them they seem easier on the body than shorter. I know, I know, totally illogical, but I found it easier to pace over longer distances than I do at 3-6 miles. You're inspiring me to get out there and go long, or at least start building up to it.

Keep goign, man! You're doing great!

VT Runner said...

Thanks man. I appreciate that. This training is definitely an interesting process. I can liken it to meditation, where you close your eyes, breath deeply and then just sit back and watch like a spectator as thoughts slide across your mind, breathing slows, etc. With the running, I'm following the schedule and trying to add miles, and along the way I get to watch my fitness improve, mindset change, etc. It's almost like running is happening to me, pulling me along for a cool ride in exchange for a simple commitment to do more of it.